In Brazil, a farmer was arrested after telling ChatGPT his plan to kill his son

In Brazil, a 36-year-old farmer was arrested after communicating with ChatGPT for nearly two months about plans to kill his eight-year-old son and attack other people. According to the police, the content of the correspondence indicates that preparations were being made for the crimes, the BBC Brazilian Service reported.

OpenAI drew attention to the user's correspondence and reported it to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. The American side then notified the Brazilian authorities. Police arrested the farmer on June 19.

Brenno Andrade, head of the regional cybercrime unit, said the case was given priority status due to the potential threat to the child. According to investigators, in his correspondence with ChatGPT, the man discussed not only killing his son, but also potential attacks on schools, churches, and police officers. He also searched for information on dangerous substances.

During a search of the farmer's home, police found a number of suspicious items and substances. They are currently being examined by experts. Investigators are also examining the suspect's mobile phone and trying to determine if any actions were taken to implement the plans discussed in the correspondence.

According to the police, the man has little contact with his son and mainly pays child support. Investigators do not rule out that dissatisfaction with child support payments could be the motive for the potential crime. However, the investigation has not yet reached a final conclusion on this matter.

The farmer himself claims he had no intention of harming the child. His lawyer emphasizes that this correspondence was merely a provocative conversation with the chatbot, and in practice, no real action was taken.

The man was held in custody for 54 days and was released on August 13. No official charges have been filed against him yet, and the investigation is ongoing. From now on, he is required to wear an electronic ankle monitor and is prohibited from communicating with his son and the child's mother.